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Toril (Planet)
Type: Spherical earth body ; Size: E ; Day Length: 24 hours ; Year Length: 365 days ; Distance/Time To: The Sun: 200 million miles; 2 day travel Sphere Wall: 3,000 million miles; 30 days travel Toril Updates While far from the largest planet in the sphere, Toril boasts the sphere's largest population of sentient beings. It is also the most diverse population, nearly every type of thinking creature found in the multiverse has lived on Toril at one time or another. This planet dominates the sphere politically and economically, and it is only its own disunity which prevents it from dominating militarily as well. The world is primarily water covered, with several large land masses on which the primary political entities reside. By far the largest of these land masses rests in the northern hemisphere of the planet, and is divided into three continents. The western continent is known as "Faerun", the eastern "Kara-tur", and the southern "Zakhara". The region in the center, a desolate plain which divides the three much as an ocean would, is known as the Hordelands. In addition to this main landmass, another, smaller pair of attached continents exists across the sea, the southern portion of this pair is known as Maztica, and the northern Anchrome. They are seperated by a harsh desert. Finally several large islands also exist and support native kingdoms. Spelljamming is relatively common on Toril, meaning on the average one in a thousand inhabitents have heard of it. This knowledge is not widespread geographically, either, knowledge of spelljamming varies widely not only between continents but even between neighboring cultures. It is thus impossible to generalize concerning attitudes towards spelljamming on the planet. For this reason each continent will be considered seperately, and to varying degrees depending on the spelljamming knowledge possessed by its indigenous population. Maztica & Anchrome Maztica Maztica is a land dominated geographically by large deserts and equally large jungles. In betwen lie fierce mountains and arid grasslands. Only recently (1361 DR) has contact opened up between this continent and Faerun to the east. Spelljammers had long been aware of the continents existence, yet it attracted few, if any, visits. The reasons for this are unclear, but many old charts mark it as a cursed, dangerous place, and given the plentitude of other, more hospitable regions it stands to reason that only the intrepid or foolhardy would have landed there. That none did so and returned to tell the tale has been ascribed to a large, magic dead zone apparently erected a mile or so above the continent. Those attempting to land on the continent lost power at an impossible altitude and were then swept to the east or west by high, freakish winds. Many sages believed this was the work of the Maztican diety Qotal, who wished the region to be undisturbed until the coming of his chosen, Erixitl of Palul. The zone apparently no longer exists, yet contact with Maztica's religious city states and Faerunian colonies remains sparse. A few captains make a nice profit on quick, terrestrial trips from New Amn (the primary colony) to Faerun but they are few and generaly fly groundling vessels which take off and land far from the sight of those who might covet their vessels. The Faerunians adventurers who make up much of the foriegn population of New Amn are usually aware of spelljamming, and the advantages owning one might bring. Flaunting vessels in that region is not reccomended. The native societies of Maztica exist in city-state organizations, and the vast majority of their people are completely unaware of spelljamming. Their reactions are hard to gauge, despite the widespread spacer belief that "primitives" will often treat them as gods the natives swift reaction to the technologically superior Amnian invaders indicates that is an unlikely outcome. Though great wealth abounds in the form of natural resources, adventuers seeking ruins to loot are advised to look elsewhere as there are few uninhabited ruins (those of Nexala being inhabited by monsters). The practice of human sacrifice is still prevalent in much of the continent and the natives seem more than willing to allow outsiders to join in such quaint local customs. Slavers have begun to take advantage of the anti-magic zone's collapse to begin raiding remote villages. Both the Chainmen and the Neogi seem active in this regard, most vessels visiting Maztican fall into this catagory and dislike having their activities interrupted. This provides a final reason for the prudent 'jammer to avoid Maztica. Anchrome Anchrome is even more primitive and barbaric then Maztica. A land of lush forests, it is rich in natural resources as well, and sparsely populated. This makes it an excellent region for a 'jammer to set down in for temporary repairs and to take on fresh water. It is not uninhabited, however, so a prudent watch must be kept. Bands of savage humans and wood elves prey on each other and strangers they find in their land, depending on the tribe and circumstances they could be helpful and peaceful or predatory and warlike. The southwestern border contains a more civilized group, the Azuposi. These people dwell in large towns and are generally more civilized (at least to outside eyes) than their brethern to the north and east. The Esh Alakarans, a now vanished culture which left several ruins to the north of the Azuposi towns, apparently discovered spelljamming yet were unable to exploit it due to internal conflicts. Their one 'jammer, the _Lacanha_, is powered by a helm of strange design and has been seen in Realmspace flown by Harper adventuers who apparently discovered it among the ruins. Zakhara The Land of Fate is a dry, arid region which lies to the south and east of Faerun, and the south and west of Kara-tur. Though connected to both by a landbridge, that bridge is dominated by the largest chain of mountains on Toril, known as the World Pillar Mountains in Zakhara, and the Wu Pi Te Shao in Kara-tur. In addition to the difficulties involved in traversing the mountains, the Zakharan end of the range is dominated by the Yak-men, an evil, magically powerful race of furry minotaurs. The common language of Zakhara is called Midani, this language barrier is a third reason for Zakhara's isolation. This means that contact between the Land of Fate and the other two major continents is sporadic, and centered on naval trade. In the east this trade is not common, but not rare either. The trade is principally between the Zakharan island of Afyal and the nation of Tu Lung in Kara-Tur. In the west it centers on the Free centers of the North, in Zakhara, and the nations of the Shining South (Dambrath, Lantan, and Durpar are the most involved at the moment). For the spelljammer Zakhara is mostly uninviting. Searching for water and provisions in the deserts isn't much better than in wildspace, and the predominate religion is intolerant of other beliefs. This intolerance varies widely, of course. The Pantheist league, a string of cities along the eastern edge of the Golden Gulf are the most conservative and intolerant. They only permit the worship of their five local gods, require men and women to where veils covering their faces, and generally outlaw "immoral" activities. Few 'jammers make the mistake of landing here twice. The most promising city of Zakhara for 'jammers is Huzuz, City of Delights. The seat of the Grand Caliph, and thus technically the capital of Zakhara, Huzuz is a large, cosmopolitan city. It is far more religiously tolerant then the Pantheist cities, very few here where veils. In many ways Huzuz provides spelljammers with a "safe" port, where they can land and conduct trade with only the most common dangers of theives and rivals while ignoring the more serious problems of suspicious natives common elsewhere in Zakhara. Every product of Zakhara can be found at Huzuz, and it is the reccomended place to get them. Merchants are warned, however, that bargaining is considered an art form here, and that the natives of this city are as knowledgable and quick as those of Waterdeep or Bral. Besides this wealth, the city is home to several of the best colleges and universities in Realmspace. Seekers and sages often traval here as a result. Several Zakharan merchants and adventuring bands have taken to space, perhaps 2 dozen in as many years. The city itself has no spelljamming fleet, however, as the Grand Caliph feels his alliances with geniekind are an effective defence against hostile spelljammers. The shattered hulks of four pirate hammerships lying at the bottom of the Golden Gulf would indicate that opinion is well founded. Kara-Tur The sections in the Realmspace accessory on Kara-tur were perhaps the worst researched of a very poorly researched book. The headquarters of the Shou Lung fleet according to SJR2 is Chumning, for instance. That is quite a coup, considering that Chumning is actually in Tu' Lung, Shou Lung's archrival! With that in mind expect much of that material to be deleted and severely altered below. Also note that details of the spelljamming fleets of Shou Lung and Wa appear in Book II. The eastern portion of the main continent on Toril is called Kara-tur. Kara-tur is the home of the Torilian nations most active in spelljamming, and is thus the area most visited by spelljamming traders. While generalities cannot hold true concerning the populations and topography of this vast region, the educated folk here are more likely to know and accept spelljamming then any other region on Toril. In fact, two Kara-turan nations are major powers in Realmspace. Shou Lung The vast empire of Shou Lung is undoubtably the most powerful nation on the face of Toril. With an immense population, vast territory, and governed by an efficient and generally honest bureacracy the Shou could, with a great deal of effort, come to completely dominate the planet. That they do not is due to cultural rather then military or economic factors. The Shou have been expansionistic in the past, but the current emperor finds more pleasure in knowledge and culture then military conquest. This tendancy has been reinforced by the recent Horde invasion, which devastated many of the northwestern provinces, decimated the armed forces, and left the upper ranks of the Mandarinate in a leaderless shambles. The nation is thus still recovering from the upheavals. So, while this nation controls the largest military fleet in Realmspace (45 War Dragons) those vessels are employed in a strictly defensive role, rooting out pirates and acting as a counter to the fleets of Wa and the Elves. Shou Lung remains a fairly popular destination within Realmspace. The popultion is civilized, enlightened, and spelljammer aware. The taxes are (mostly) reasonable and laws concerning spelljamming vessels follow common sense guidelines (flying over cities at low altitude is prohibitted, for instance). The nation's primary port, Karatin, is as welcoming to spelljammers as it is to any other foriegn trade. Karatin is the capital of the Hai Yuan, or Maritime provinces, and is said to be the home of the legendary Sea Lords of Karatin. Besides acting as the headquarters of the fleets of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Glorious Flight, several nobles and temples from the region have dabbled in spelljamming themselves. The people of Hai Yuan province are particularly confident and adventurous, vessels seeking crew should have little trouble hiring sailors here. The landlocked Kao Shan province holds the only other important spelljammer port in Shou Lung, the semi-independent city of Kai Shan. A den of vice, corruption, and shady dealings Kai Shan is ruled by the Tsui Tong, the largest of the criminal organizations in Shou Lung. The Tsui are permitted a free hand in Kai Shan due to aid they gave to Wo Mai, the Emperor who brought Shou Lung back from the brink of ruin during the Black Cycle (985 Shou Reckoning). Kai Shan can only handle vessels able to set down on land, but it sees a steady traffic in pirate Wasps, smuggler's Dragonflies, and other vessls. It is rumored that the Tsui have contacts with the Chainmen (though selling Shou citizens to slavers would surely bring the wrath of the Emperor down on the city, if discovered), the Tenth Pit, and even the Zhentarim of Faerun. The accuracy of such rumors is doubtful, but the Tsui certainly have contacts among the space going Wako, and this port is considered the best place in Realmspace to sell items of doubtful origins, no questions asked. There are no Imperial troops stationed in Kai Shan, nor are there any magistrates or town guard. The city's reputation is its greatest defence, though the Shou Spelljammer fleet would certainly counter any attempts by outsiders to invade the city, as it is technically still a part of Shou Lung, and surrounded by other Imperial territories. The dragonships of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Glorious Flight are the official representatives of the Shou in Realmspace, but there are many nonofficial vessels as well. The Order of the Dragon (a monastery devoted to the Path and the Emperor) sponsored several vessels, as have several of the richest noble houses. The Society of the Purple Lotus, a group of noble artists, has also sponsored several dragonships. This is disturbing to some, as it is rumored that this group of decadent, languid nobles is secretly a group dedicated to restoring the power of the nobles and destroying that of the bureaucracy. It also seems that the Kuo-tan, a secret society dedicated to supporting the Emperor, has established a branch on the Rock of Bral. This branch calls itself Yakuza, a term more properly applied to Waan or Kozakuran criminal groups, those in the know say this is simply to cover its tracks. The Kuo-tan is led by the Shou Emperor's maternal grandfather and they are deadly enemies of the Tsui Tong. The Dock Deep in the heart of the Wu Pi Te Shao mountain chain, surrounded by impassable peaks lies a fantastical spelljamming port. Known simply as the "Dock", this port was established by the Arcane following a series of negotiations with the Shou Emperor. At the end of the negotiations the Emperor had 30 new helms and the Arcane had the deed to this relatively useless piece of Torillian real estate. Both sides still feel they recieved the better deal. The Dock is located at the center of the glacier field which lies furthest south within the range. The Yikarian Empire is the closet organized nation, controlling the moutains to the south. Fear of this evil, destructive, and magically powerful nation has forced the Arcane to place a permanent ban on selling spelljamming equipment to them, fearing that if the Dock's advantage of a defensive fleet were matched the Yakmen would soon conquer and control the lucrative city. For their part the Yakmen know legends concerning a magical settlement to the north, but little direct knowledge. This is the primary port for purchasing helms and other merchandise from the Arcane, the city itself is completely dependent on imports for food. The surface is bitter cold year round due to the altitude, the buisnesses and other inhabitents are all indoors, space is at a premium. The Arcane have used magic to carve landing zones for ships of many descriptions, even those vessels normally only able to land on water are capable of putting down here. Shipbuilding facilities here can build a wide variety of vessels, and this is one of the few places vessels with special Arcane modifications can be constructed. The prices, of course, are exorbitent. The Dock is administered by the Arcane Calabrie Zhentle, though at least three other Arcane are known to make their homes here. She runs the port in a very open manner, essentially commerce rules. There is only one rule for merchandise at the dock, besides the import and export taxes; Only Arcane or their representatives are permited to sell helms or ships of any sort. Adventurers bringing captured helms and vessels must sell them to the Arcane, who of course will make a handsome profit on them after resale. Calabrie's rule at the dock is enforced by several hired mercenary companies, the Arcane prefers to hire Giff and Anadian halflings for this duty. These companies officer themselves but answer to Calabrie's two bodyguards, Jor Demyse (NE hm F10) and Shoah (N hm F9). Open brawls and other events which disrupt buisness are dealt with harshly, while descreet poisonings and kidnappings tend to be ignored. Justice is not the primary concern, ending the disturbance and preventing a reoccurence is the main goal. Besides privateers hired on as needed, the Arcane have permanently acquired the services of the 97th Giff High Space Flotilla. This fleet consists of 2 clippers and a Great Bombard, one of the largest concentrations of pure firepower in the sphere. These vessels all remain near the Dock, at least one is in the air at all times. T'u Lung T'u Lung has been a seperate state from Shou Lung since breaking away from its northern neighbor nearly three centuries ago. Since that time Shou Lung and T'u Lung have officially be at war, the conflicts have ebbed and flowed, of course, but the provinces along their borders have become deserted and ruined from the endemic warfare. Composed of six provinces T'u Lung is everything Shou Lung could become but is not. The provinces are ruled by hereditary nobles who pay as little attention to the T'u Emperor as they can get away with. Taxes go unpaid, free men are enslaved, and criminals left free. The government is corrupt on all levels, though in some rare districts a local magistrate may be somewhat honest and honorable. Poverty runs rampant throughout the nation. Unless forced to unite by some outside force (in the past this has most often been an invading Shou army) the nobles of T'u Lung fight incessently among themselves. There are over 45 powerful noble families within the nation, all of whom feel they have some claim on the Emperorship. Many of the cities and towns are now in ruins, even those which have not been abandoned have many ruined buildings within their town limits. T'u lung is obviously not a popular stop for legitimate spelljammers, taxes are too high, and someone in power is sure to confiscate the vessel if anyone discovers the vessel can fly. On the other hand, the nation's corrupt, ineffective government allows neogi, Chainmen, and pirate raids unheard of access. Only the random presence of powerful wu jen or shukenja in some of the smaller villages appear as potential dangers to raiders. T'u Lung itself has no permanent spelljamming fleet, the central government is simply too weak, but despite this T'u lung does have some impact on Realmspace. Ausa province is ruled by the Ho noble family, the Ho have a private, provincial navy based in the port town of Keeling consisting of 75 terrestial warships. Five of those war junks are equiped with minor helms, though they are seldom used for more then the occasional flight through the atmosphere. Ho family junks can be identified by thier sky-blue banners bearing two white daggers and three red stars. The small port town of H'sin-to in the Ausa province is the headquarters of Osu Qyu Lo'ahn (NG hm F3), a local merchant who owns three furnace-helm equipped junks. Osu Qyu has found new challenges in wildspace, where his vessels journey in search of rare artifacts and other small, high value commodities. His expeditions are always carefully planned because of the high cost of fueling the furnaces, he has extensive trading contacts on Dragon Rock in the Tear's of Selûne. Within H'sin-to itself his ship's helms are kept secret, folk are only told that he journeys to far foreign lands. Since the vessels are gone the majority of the year this explanation satisfies most easily. More disruptive by far then the Ho family or Osu Qyu is the growing impact of the Yellow Lizards of Keeling. A pirate consipiracy based somewhere near Keeling harbor in Ausa province, the Yellow Lizards are a band of bloodthirsty pirates. members all bear a purple crane tatooed on their right arm, but seldom are found on vessels other then those owned by the band. Yellow Lizard vessels always bear black sails and banners depicting a yellow sea-lizard on a green background. They have been seen in a variety of vessels in Realmspace; junks, dragonships, and a wasp just to name a few. The Yellow Lizards began as a purely terrestial band, and still maintain a large, mundane fleet which continues to raid up and down the Celestial Sea. No one is sure exactly where their main refuge is, who their leader is or how many vessels they posess. It is rumoured that the Ho clan has some connection to this band. Kozakura The island kingdom of Kozakura is a land of beautiful mountains, thick forests and sparkling seas. The majority of the inhabitents live on the main island of Shinkoku, but there are nearly a thousand islands surrounding it. The people live along the coasts, the central moutains are wild and untamed. This central range is called the Dragon's Spine, refering to the legndary earth dragon said to sleep beneath it. The peasents of Kozakura tend to be rice farmers and fishermen. Powerful samurai rule the land, in theory their power devolves from the Emperor. For many years this has been a purely symbolic office, however, the real power has reasted in the hands of the Shogun, the military commander of the nation. This office, like all others in Kozakura is hereditary. Following the Hojo War the current Shogun, Hojo Kawabuko (? hm F?), came to the position, yet he was not of legal age to hold it, being only 8 years old. His father, Hojo Todahiro (? hm F8), who should have held the office was exiled. Power came to rest in the hands of the Takaenaka family through the office of Shikken (Shogunal regent), Takenaka Okawa (? hm F9) took the postion as the Shogun's maternal grandfather. Over the years he has angered his chief supporter and half-brother, Takenaka Sugawara (? hm F14). Recently, when it became apparent that Okawa did not intend to relenquish his power as shikken upon Hojo Kawabuko's majority (Kawabuko has recently turned 18), Takenaka Sugawara led an army to the Shogunal capital at Gifu. His army was successful in rescuing the Shogun, but failed to destroy the shikken, who accepted the aid of those supporting the retired emperor's bid for a return to power! Into this chaotic situation arrived Hojo Todahiro and his supporters who felt the time was ripe for his own attempted return to power. The result has been a Kozakura thrown into violent civil war. The Imperial administration is in chaos, and the constant demands for troops and supplies have decimated most of the provinces. At least 4 different factions are invlolved, each struggles now to gain allies among the unaligned houses. The massive battles of the war's first year have ended, with all sides suffering heavy losses. The war has degenerated into a series of raids and guerilla actions while the various factions replace their losses and jockey for position. A nation undergoing a civil war is a poor partner for trade, spelljammers are advised to avoid Kozakura. The factions are likely to seize any spelljammers they can, searching for an advantage over their opponents. The many uninhabitted islands do provide reasonably secure bases for those wishing to make use of them, and spelljamming raiders of all sorts occasionally take advantage of the war to raid this or that small village. The larger cities tend to have an abundence of wu jen, as well as being militarily alert because of the civil war. They are not a tempting target. Wa The island nation of Wa has much in common with Kozakura, despite (or perhaps because of) the two nations' traditional rivalry. Like Kozakura it is composed of a series of islands clustered around a large central island, Tsukishima. Over 80% of Wa is moutainous, the other 20% composes the strips of habitated land along the coasts. Wa is particularly cursed by nature, Typhoons and earthquakes are not uncommon, and many of Wa's volcanoes are still active. Waan government is similar to that of Kozakura as well, there is an Emperor but his position is largely ceremonial, the real ruler of the nation is the Shogun, Matasuuri Nagahide (LN hm F23). Unlike Kozakura, however, the Shogunate of Wa is strong and vital, in fact Wa is enjoying the longest period of peace of any nation in Kara-Tur. Peace has led to advancements in education and the arts, as well as a general increase in prosperity. But this has not come without a price. A rigid social system ensures domestic tranquility, distinct social classes are strictly adhered to, traval is monitored, and religion is regulated. Contact with foreign elemnts is forbidden, Foreign vessels are only allowed to dock at the port of Akkaido. Those who have adopted foreign customs and ways are oppressed, especially those who follow the imported Western deity, Chantea. The nations prosperity is limited to the upper classes, the peasents stagger under a dizzying array of obligations, rules, and taxes. Spelljamming traffic with Wa is limited by law to vessels landing at the port city of Akkaido. Such traffic is unwelcome, the port's Daimyo (governor), Matasuuri Ieysuna (LN hm F2), will go out of his way to make life difficult for foreigners while in port. He is not above simply confiscating the vessel and having its crew beheaded, provided he has a proper pretext. Few vessels make more then one stop at Akkaido, spelljammers which attempt to land anywhere else in Wa are summarily destroyed by the Waan fleet. Soon after after becoming Shogun Matasuuri Nagahide (LN hm F23) discovered the existence of the various fleets flying about within Realmspace. He quickly realized how dangerous this was to Wa and began a program of crash development on a fleet for Wa itself. This decade long program resulted in some of the most intriguing spelljammer design advancements in centuries. First, the Master of the Grand Sky (? hm W?) a powerful wu jen from the island of Shidekima was able, with the aid of several monks, shukenja, and the Arcane to develop the Ki-helm, a powerful helm capable of powering vessel up to 200 SJ tons in size. He also designed and built the first Rudder of Propulsion, which combined with the ki-helm allowed the Shogun's's vision for the new fleet to take place. Taking advantage of the unique aspects of these two propulsion systems the Tsunami and locust ships were designed (The Master of the Grand Sky disappeared into the expanses of wildspace soon after completing his work). The Waan fleet consists now of 8 of the huge Tsunamis, 4 are in space at any one time, usually in close orbit above Wa though occasionally retributive strikes are made against pirate bases at Garden or in the Tears of Selûne. Each carries at least 20 of the locusts, though they can carry up to 36. The headquarters and dockyards for this powerful fleet are located within the bowl of Mount Fo, an extinct volcano and the second highest peak in the Ikuyu mountain range. Each tsunami has its own massive cave hanger, and several deep lakes provide landing strips for the few helm equipped junks that fill out the Wa Imperial Fleet. This is one of the best guarded sites in the Realms, catapults, bombards, and ballistae dot the peak from hidden, fortified emplacements. The Waan fleet is commanded by Daimyo Akahu Nagasa, a firm believer in discipline and a former Tsunami captain. Nagasa works very closely with the Shogun, who takes a great interest in the fleet. Ronin and out of work bushi have caused many problems since the Shogun's adminstrative reforms reduced the numbers of the nobility and soldiery to more reasonable levels. The Shogun has already used the creation of the spelljamming fleet to reward the more deserving of these with positions, he is now considering setting up a colony on Garden for the express purpose of reducing the number of trouble makers in his realm. A series of troubling reports seem to indicate that the IEN is attempting to smuggle weapons and magic to disaffected groups within Wa using their Men-o-War, one such vessel was destroyed recently by the Waan fleet. Relations between Wa and the IEN are correspondingly tense. Faerun: The Heartlands The western end of the main continent of Toril is called Faerun, a land as varied in its culture as it is in climate and terrain. From artic icecaps and glaciars in the Far North to the steaming jungles of Chult, Faerun offers the spelljammer a dizzying array of flora and fauna. These creatures are not only naturally occuring, filling ecological niches, but also the magical imports of Faerun's millenia of magical societies, each mutating and imprting creatures from dozens of worlds and planes. Thus many creatures thought unique to other worlds can actually be found in some niche of Faerun. This diversity is, as mentioned, mirrored in the cultures of the sentient species of the region. Lizard men, orcs, goblins, dwarves, and elves are merely the less exotic sentients present, Thrikreen, Loxo, and even Ptermen exist in various places around the continent. Humans are the predominent race, but their social organizations are diverse as well, ranging from the magocracies of Thay and Halruaa to the feudal realm of Cormyr to the republic of Raven's Bluff. This amount of diversity brings with it an equal amount of conflict, warfare is a common occurence throughout Faerun. Though large empires have dominated Faerunian history in the past, today it is a land of nations and city-states, fractured and divided. Trade has become its lifeblood, and most conflicts revolve around control of trade routes. The incredible diversity of this region of Toril extends to its attitudes towards spelljamming. It is simply impossible to generalize, some societies are completely ignorant, and would like burn anyone they saw sailing the skies as a witch. Others are well aware of the nations above their head and sponsor their own fleets. This diversity, of course, leads to dealing with the various regions of Faerun individually. (For consistencies sake I 'll handle each region of Faerun in the order presented in from the FR Boxed Set.) Dalelands At one time a city of learning, culture, and magic flourished among the great trees of the forest of Cormanthor which covers most of this region. This city, fabled Myth Drannor, was naturally a vibrant spelljamming port especially for the Elven Fleet. With learning and magic of paramount importance the city was as well known among starfarers as the Rock, or the city of Greyhawk on Oerth. As happens all too often, of course, it was destroyed by the forces of darkness and decay. Today Myth Drannor is as fabled as ever, but its fame comes from the richest the city's ruins are said to house and the monsters who now defend those riches. The Elven Court, a nation which long kept tresspassers out of the ruins, Retreated to Evermeet a decade or two ago and left the city less guarded then before. Now the goal of myriad adventuring bands and mercanary companies, Myth Drannor has been raided several times by spelljammers from above. These 'jammers thought it would be a simple matter to scare the local monsters with their flyingships, land, and fill their holds with untold riches. Instead, their ship's lie rotting and their helms have added to the magic of the region. Despite the arrogance of 'jammers, they were no more a match for the demons who guard the city today then the local groundlings. Myth Drannor is not a reccomended landing site. The rest of the Dalelands is a loose confederation of small rural provinces, each ruled in a different manner and each slightly different from the next, though in truth those differences are so minor as to be undetectable by outsiders. The Dales offer no shipwrights outside of the ports of Harrowdale and Scardale (Scardale is rumoured to be currently suffering a magical plague so landing there is unadvised), and has little in the way of tradegoods, though lumber, water, and foodstuffs are plentiful. Some few evil organizations, both groundlings and spelljammers, raid the region for slaves but with only moderate success. While the inhabitents may not know all of the specifics of spelljamming physics, nearly all are aware of it (or, at least, the existance of flying ships). Many of these small, rural dales are the retirement homes of some of Toril's most powerful mages and adventurers, it is reccomended that all seemingly weak farmers in the region be treated very carefully. Even those who are not powerful adventurers are wise, careful folk who know enough to treat strangers, especially those with flyingships, politely but with caution. None of the Dales has an active spelljammer fleet, either military or mercantile. Most of the fortifications in the region take assault from the air into account (dragons worry the inhabitents far more then spelljammers). Finally, the Dales have produced a large number of adventurers and these may be found scattered throughout Known Space. Cormyr Cormyr is the only true kingdom in the heartland of Faerun. A large, prosperous nation ruled by a just king, Cormyr is considered by many to be the strongest nation on the Sea of Fallen Stars. It sits firmly astride the east-west trade route, and benefits from variety of resources of its own. King Azoun was perhaps the only ruler in the region with enough of a personal reputation to unite the many disparate elements against the common threat of the Tuigan invasion. While most Cormyreans are aware of the possibility of flying ships, only the educated and adventurers truely grasp the implications of spelljamming. Certainly such court luminaries as Vangerdahast, the Royal Magician, understand fully the number of nations swirling around "out there" but for most Cormyreans spelljamming simply means flyingships. The kingdom's laws do not deal any differently with spelljammers entering then anyone else coming into Cormyr from foriegn parts, the same taxes and regulations apply. Cormyr itself does not have an active spelljamming force, though there are one or two private craft owned by Cormyrean adventurers more than willing to perform missions for the Crown. Defence against spelljammers comes from the famed Purple Dragons, Cormyr's professional army whose fortifications all are designed with the possibility of aerial attack in mind, and the War Wizards, a very organized corps of mages loyal to the crown. A scro Mantis which attempted to land at Suzail in the past year found out just how effective those defences are, it was easily destroyed and inflicted less then 20 casualties in return. Cormyr has three major cities, spelljammers are welcome to land at any of the three (flying directly over a Cormyrean city is a crime). Suzail, the capital, and Marsember, a port city, are the best choices as their nautical shipwrights can fairly easily adapt to repairing damaged spelljammers. Also, many of the other services directed at nautical visitors can be of service to 'jammers. Traffic cannot be called brisk, and some few undoubtably pretend to be typical groundling vessels when in port, but there is usually one spelljammer at one of the three cities. Slavers prefer easier targets then a nation with a professional army and a corps of battle wizards, Cormyr suffers little from spelljammer raids. Though the nation is currently trying to build a corps of hippogriff riders to provide a aerial cavalry, it is unlikely to pursue a 'jammer building program in the near future given its slight effect on the life of the nation. Sembia Sembia is a nation of merchants, ruled by merchants, for merchants. It is a place were gold is king, and profit and the bottom line are the final measures of a man or woman's worth. This is the attitude held towards Sembia by the majority of folk on Faerun, and it is correct , to a degree. The towns and villages of Sembia are controlled by merchants, and trade and profit are considered very important by the folk of that nation, but the result of that attitude is that most Sembians are very hardworking folk, willing to spend extra hours to get their chosen craft perfect. The common people laboring in the rich agricultural fields of rural Sembia are as honest and hard working as such folk anywhere, many spending the night in one of these quiet, well run farmsteads have wondered at the money grubbing reputation the Sembians have acquired. The wonderment ceases upon entering the cities, especially the larger cities of Ordulin (the capital), Selgaunt, and Saerloon. In these crowded urban settings the Sembians meet and even exceed the expectations their repuation instills. The people are as rude as those of the large cities of any world, and focused constantly on making their fortune. Wealth is displayed ostentatiously, to produce envy, and guarded fanatically. The government is often corrupt, and justice often becomes just another ware to be bought and sold on the open market. This bustling atmosphere of trade is of course initamtely familiar to any spelljammer whose spent any time at all on Bral, a city which would fit in well with the Merchant Kingdom of Toril. Sembia is the registered home port of the greatest majority of Realmspace vessels, yet it maintains no fleet of its own. Instead, the various merchant houses own their own fleets, which they send anywhere they smell profit. Additionally, Sembian taxes are relatively light to encourage trade, which leads to a large number of tramp 'jammers and independents registering as Sembian to avoid the taxes of other ports. Both Saerloon and Selgaunt have extensive facilities for both water and land capable 'jammers and they can also build some of the more common types. Ordulin is landlocked, yet it has a small field as well. Merchants recognize profit when they see it, both Saerloon and Selgaunt will have 1d4 spelljammers docked at anyone time (some of these might be other aerial vessels, such as the flying ships of Halruaa). There are, of course, a few Sembian merchants who are especially active in spelljamming. Two of the more important individuals are listed below, but this is far from an extensive list. In addition to the native merchants all the major spelljamming merchant organizations have representatives in Sembia. the Smith's Coster, for instance, maintains offices and warehouses in Selgaunt and that city is their primary port of call on Toril. -Nurlar of Ordulin (CN hm F1) Nurlan is an older, paranoid merchant who is a legend for building a vast fortune from 2 worn-out cogs he inheritted on the Inner Sea. He has now turned his attention to spelljamming, hoping to see an equal success there. He is starting small for now, sending agents to the major trade centers to test the waters before investing more then a few hundred thousand. He currently owns just five vessels, of varying types though all are heavily armed. -Fildaern of Saerloon (LN hm F4) Fildaern has recently given up his plan of buying one of the Dales, when he couldn't find a seller. He has decided instead to found a colony elsewhere in Realmspace, thinking that would be the easiest way to determine who his neighbors are. He already owns an extensive fleet of galleons (20+) equipped with a variety of helms, over half of them have recently sailed for Garden. Fildaern thinks Garden would be the most profitable site for his colony, though those already living on (or in?) that planet may disagree. The Sembian military has always been small for such a prosperous nation, merchants seldom see profit in soldiers and Sembian merchants are no exception. Each major city has a detachment of "helms" as the nation's soldiers are called, responsible for patrolling the surrounding countryside and maintaining order within the city itself. They collect import duties (a thankless task), search for contraband, and try to keep the merchants from killing each other. Their most important task, of course, is stopping theives, brigands, and pirates, all of whom tend to depress economic growth. Pirates fall mainly within the realm of the Sembian navy, 50 or so major naval vessels strong. A handful of these vessels have helms of one sort or another, but the identity of these vessels is a closely guarded, and often changing secret. The Sembian navy certainly never ventures far outside of Toril's air envelope. Perhaps the biggest issue involving Sembia is that nations prolific use of Letters of Marque in Realmspace. Rather then maintain a navy, Sembia recruits privateers to handle the various problems space faring navies usually handle, like piracy. This is not an unusual method of hunting pirates, but the Sembian government sells their letters without much in the way of background checks, with the result that many pirates now use Sembian letters to "legalize" their activities. As long as they leave Sembian flaged vessels alone (or at least leave no witnesses) they can continue their depradations against "pirates" (ie any vessel which doesn't heave to for inspection when they order). There are perhaps 4 dozen or so privateers operating in Realmspace under Sembian Letters of Marque, most are smaller ships of around 40 or 50 tons. The Sembians use of these privateers is causing such concern that the representatives of the IEN, Shou Lung, Code Helm, the North Anadian halflings, and the Company of the Chalice are calling for a diplomatic summit at Dragon Rock. So far, the Sembian government has put such a summit off (i.e. it could be a really cool adventure...). The Moonsea The Moonsea is a region with a long history of struggling, semi-successful settlements being wiped out by the humanoid and monstrous multitudes of the Ride and the Thar to the north. Bounded on the south by the rural Dalelands, the Moonsea lands have a hard, frontier edge to them. Stark landscapes and bitter cold have hardened the inhabitants, the three largest cities of the region, Zhentil Keep, Mulmaster, and Hillsfar are all ruled by oppressive, despotic regimes. This is a region best avoided by spelljammers. The cities surrounding this large, cold fresh water sea are ruled for the most part by evil priests, powerful warlords, and fell mages. Docking at any such city in a vessel as strange as most spelljammers is just asking for your vessel to be "confiscated" by the powers that be. Even if that is somehow avoided every disreputable, ethically challenged adventurer in the city is going to be taking the crew's measure, trying to decide if they are good enough to hold onto their ship. Actually flying into one of these cities will simply bring the reactions on sooner. Magic doesn't awe the groundlings of the Moonsea, it tempts them. Slavery is a fact of life in these lands, but the population is sparse and there is little good farm land and fewer farm workers who can survive the harsh climate. The region is thus more popular as a market for slaves then as a place to acquire them. The Chainmen have found that purchasing slaves here is sometimes more economical then catching their own, seeing a Chainmen vessel in the region thus not unheard of (though such vessels are almost without exception galleons sailing mundanely into port. They don't take off until well clear of land and curious eyes). Spelljamming has not affected the region in any significant way. The arcane have never appeared to offer helms to the powers that be, and while a few helms have undoubtably fallen into the hands of some natives of the Moonsea region, none have advertised the fact. The constant power struggles between the city-states are one likely reason, for the price of a Minor Helm an army could be fed and clothed for a year. There are always rumors about the Scro, the Tenth Pit, or some other evil organization of wildspace sending ambassadors to Zhentil Keep or Mulmaster to negotiate some fiendish plot. Given the nature of these organizations such an alliance seems unlikely at best. One important groundling organization, the Zhentarim, was founded in the city of Zhentil Keep. The Zhentarim have in recent years become involved in a minor way in Realmspace, sending out a handful of vessels from their bases at the Citadel of the Raven or Darkhold. The purposes of these voyages is unknown, but they seem mostly concerned in a hunt for new Art to bring back to the Inner Ring. Semmemon is the member of the Inner circle most concerned with spelljamming, he has studied it most completely and is not as distracted by the recent political and religious troubles in the Keep (Darkhold, near Cormyr in the Far Hills, is under his command and far removed from the Keep). Once or twice a Zhentarim spelljammer has attempted to influence this or that intrigue on the ground, with little success to date. The Vast The Vast and its people have much in common with the peoples of Sembia and the Dalelands across the Dragon Reach. A land divided by several mountain ranges and rivers, the sea is the primary mode of trade for the region and all five of the important city-states in the area are along the coast; Calaunt, Tantras, Raven's Bluff, Procampur, and Tsurlagol. The people of the region are very accepting of adventurers and traders, opportunity and optimism are common in most of the cities. Like Sembia trade is the dominate force, but the pursuit of wealth is not quite as frenzied. The rural folk are as practical and hard-headed as the Dalesmen, though the fields are not as productive. The cities states of the Vast are ruled for the most part by the merchants, and have relatively mild, progressive laws. One exception, Calaunt, exists where a band of adventurers have set themselves up as theat city's tyrants but otherwise a spelljammer is as safe as lading in Sembia or Cormyr, and much less likely to be taxed or looked down on by the locals. One city in particular, Raven's Bluff, is especially friendly to spelljamming traffic. A rapidly growing, very cosmopolitan town dominated by adventurers Raven's Bluff is the port of registry for many of the small tramp freighters operating in Realmsspace. The city has no fleet of its own as of yet, but it has issued several Letters of Marque to enterprising privateers. Some folk say this city will be the next Waterdeep, the city's adventurers certainly think so. The city seems to attract strange sights, a squidship, for instance, is unlikely to attract the same sort of attention it would elsewhere. It has also attracted a large assortment of sages and mages, certain cargoes (components, stuffed specimens, ect) are easier to unload here then in other ports. Calaunt and Tsurlagol are both sometimes used by pirates and slavers, the rulers of these cities seem less interested in stoping from such trade and more interested in taxing it. All of the cities in the region have strong, traditional theives' guilds, theft is a constant worry while in port. The Dragon Coast The Dragon Coast is the crossroads of trade on Faerun, the point where the ships of the Sea of Fallen Stars transfer their cargoes to the caravans headed through the Western Heartlands to points north and south. The region has a reputation as "...a sin-laden festhall of intrigue and dark adversaries."(1) It is a reputation that is difficut to live down to, and in truth only the largest city, Westgate, and the Pirate Isles themselves manage to do so. Coincidently those are the only two regions with more then a passing interest to spelljammers. Westgate is a city ruled by a council of merchent nobles on the surface and one of the most powerful theives' guilds on Toril behind the scenes. The Nightmasks do not take an open or obvious hand in governing the city, but by manipulating their agents and controling certain aspects of trade they manage to keep the city a corrupt cesspit that is advantageous to their sort of buisiness:theft, kidnapping, and assasinations. The city won't confiscate a spelljammer openly arriving in the city, but it is a sure bet that every one of the myriad power groups in the city who are aware of the "flying ship" will attempt to seize the vessel or otherwise turn it to their own ends. None of the city's merchants or nobles openly own or invest in spelljammers, perhaps for this very reason. Despite this the town's usefullness for shady deals and contacts make it a favored port of those spelljammers who can easily hide their nature, or overwhelm seizure attempts with pure physical force. The Pirate Isles are a huge archipelego of islands in the center of the Sea of Fallen Stars, rocky spurs jutting out from the seabed in a chaotic jumble which remain uncharted and dangerous sailing. Strategically situated to command the shipping routes across the sea, these islands have always been pirate havens. Isolated from large populations and strong governments several of these islands serve as headquarters for spelljamming groups, whether adventuring bands utilizing them as strongholds or pirate bands using them as hideouts. The largest of the islands, the Dragonisle, has a secure harbor capable of holding a large number of vessels. It also has little or no government. Spelljammers are as welcome to dock here as anyone else, but they had better have a swift swordarm and strong magic if they intend on keeping possesion of their vessel. Many of the pirates of Realmspace call this port home, as it is often easier to sell loot to the smugglers who frequent it rather then risk capture at a more civilized port. The Western Heartlands and the Sword Coast The Western heartlands are a broad, mostly fertile plain which extends from the Lake of Dragons in the east to the Sword Coast in the West. The region is dominated geographically by the broad, slow moving River Chionthar in the south and the gods-polluted Winding Water in the north. The region is not controlled by a simgle government but is instead dominated by city-states and local feudal lords. The city-states all belong to the Lords' Alliance, an organization whose member cities stretch into the Savage North as well. The Lords' Alliance is a loose alliance, however, designed more to prevent the various citys from going to war with each then to establish a common government. The most important city-state inland is Iriaebor, Baldur's Gate holds that position on the coast. The cities of Elturel and Berdusk are almost as important as the two leading cities, and all are far too devoted to trade to seek to dominate their fellow cities by force of arms. While the cities are not interested in conflict, there is still conflict aplenty in the region. Darkhold, an important Zhentarim stronghold, menaces the eastern end of the region; for spelljammers this is noteworthy as Semmemnon, the Lord of Darkhold, is the Zhentarim leader who has exhibited the most interest in spelljamming. Several Zhent spelljammers have been seen landing in the region, and it is expected that other spelljamming groups of malevolent aims seeking the Zhentarim as allies will contact them first at Darkhold. Darkhold is not the only dangerous citadel in the region, unfortunately. Along the coast the threat of Larloch's Crypt menaces travellers whether they fly, walk, or sail. To the north the former fiendhold of Dragonspear Castle does not appear to be fully pacified and is a possible danger as well. Much of the region is dangerous, threatened by humanoid warbands and bandits. Trolls, orcs, goblins, and kobolds are among the least dangers creatures encountered. Spelljammers should be especially wary of dragons, wyverns, griffins, and other flying creatures. None of the region's cities maintain a spelljamming force, and all bring a common sense approach to spelljammers, who are seen as simply another source of trade. As always, criminal elements may attempt to steal a vessel which makes its nature know but the authorities are unlikely to simply confiscate it (unless the vessel breaks a city law; most cities frown heavily on spelljammers flying above them). The city defenses are designed to deal with flying foes, as dragons and other aerial monsters are a constant threat. These defenses work equally well against most spelljamming vessels, and typically include ballistae, archers, and mages. There has been some native spelljamming activity lately. House Legermain, one of the Iriaeban noble houses, owns two small spelljammers and uses them for adventuring and to open new trade routes. Zahara's Krakens, a mercenary fleet of privateers home ported in Baldur's Gate, has equipped one of their caravels with a minor helm though they have as yet not ventured beyond Toril. Waterdeep Waterdeep is the greatest trade city on Faerun, and a must see for most 'jammers. Despite the central importance of Waterdeep, it has not seen its fair share of traffic due to a highly successful smear campaign intiated by certain Calishite merchants. These merchants hoped to use spelljamming to give them a leg up on their competitors to the north, and determined to make Waterdeep seem a less desireable port than it was in reality. Deciding a lie based in fact would have more weight than a complete fabrication they choose a little known portion of Waterdeeps legal code, embellished upon its enforcement and sent agents spreading the new "truth" throughout known space. Waterdeep has always been a magically intensive city, most great cities in the Realms are, and as such many of the common citizens suffered from the stray magic and creatures unleashed during mage battles. Several times in the past centuries rival spelljammers or Hallruuan skyships attacked homes within the city, and caused great amounts of collateral damage. Laws against assault could be used to persucute offenders after the fact, but no legal measures allowed the City's Griffin Riders to prevent these malcontents from flying of the city to start with. The Lords therefore declared the air above Waterdeep a no flying zone, with the exception of the City Guards, and a select few private citizens who purchased "flying" licenses. Punishment for those who violated this law varied from a simple warning to impoundment of the "device or creature" which permitted flight. If the airspace violation was combined with an assault the forfieture was assured, as well as a sentance of 10 years hard labor, mininum. The Calashite merchants only publicised the harshest possible sentance and implied the Lords imposed this draconian measure to prevent spelljammers from taking advantage of the local populace. Waterdeep was avoided for years as a result. In 1360 a small party of adventurers discovered a galleon with an intact helm (and a crew of undead)), they quickly took to the stars, exploring both the Tears of Selûne and Bralspace. The leader of the party, Edwind Helmfast (LN hm F5 heir to the Helmfast noble family-see p16 City of Splendors "Who's Who in Waterdeep"), was dismayed when he realised the cause of Waterdeep's virtual quarentine against spelljamming. He returned to Waterdeep and began a lobbying campaign to introduce Waterdeep back into the spelljamming community. His father Kelvar was one of his first converts, soon the Helmfast fleet inluded not only naval vessels, but spelljammer ships as well, often specially designed. Other noble families followed suit, and although the resultant fad soon collapsed (and several pirate bands became a helm or three richer) a solid fleet of Waterdahvian vessels was the result. This Waterdahvian "burst" into the stars quickly began to undermine the Calishite rumor campaign, Waterdeep is now receiving its rightful share of spelljamming traffic. Unlawful Flight Intrusion is considered a minor offense of the Second Plaint (Crimes Against the City). It generally is punished by a 300 gp fine and an edict against the offender by a Magister (Waterdahvian judges). The Edict usually is simply a charge not to fly over the city again. Any intrusion over the city is considered a violation whether the offender is flying an on a Hippogriff or an Ogre Mammoth. This punishment is only a guideline, in the past the extreme punishments spread by the Calishite rumormongers(as mentioned in the previous post) have been inflicted upon constant, repeat offenders. Note that any other crimes committed while flying over the city (assault, arson, destruction of property, ect) are subject to their own, usually severe, penalties in addition to those imposed for violating the cities airspace. For a more complete look at Waterdeep's Code Legal see pgs 77-81 of the Campaign Guide book of the City of Splendors Boxed set. The legal edicts against flying over the city cause most spelljammers to either land out at sea and then sail in conventionally, or land in one of the fields outside of the city and carting any cargo in. Docking in the harbor entails the standard 5 gp docking fee, regardless of the ships size. This fee allows the ship to stay up to 14 days, and includes fresh water, ballast if needed, and the right to dump garbage. Landing outside the city tends to be more expensive. Most farmers, faced with the destruction of their fields will demand twice what they might have made by selling the crops. If 'jammers balk at this they will be faced with charges of destruction of private property, and most likely end up paying anyway. A few enterprising merchants (and one noble family-see below) have purchased fields for the express purpose of landing spelljammers. These landing fields typically charge 5-10 gp per day, and will rent carts (1-3gp per day) to allow the 'jammers to transport their cargo into the city. The 'jammers are responsible for the 1 gp fee Waterdeep charges each wagon or cart that leaves the city (and their ship is forfeit if they don't return the cart or pay its cost in full). As befits the "City of Splendors" of Toril, Waterdeep now has a large and active merchant fleet. Most of the spelljammers flying the arms of Waterdeep (Guard vessels fly both the arms of Waterdeep and the arms of the Lords of Waterdeep) are independent adventuring and trading vessels, ships that call Waterdeep their home port. Their numbers are varied and changing, an accurate count might be found in Castle Waterdeep, but many of the ships in that register were destroyed without witnesses. Below are the more politically important fleets, the ships controlled by the Noble families that have remained involved in spelljamming. Eltorchul Fleet- The Eltorchul family fleet performs the same function as its terrestrial fleet and agents-procuring rare substances and items for magical components and research. The fleet is thus composed of small, fast vessels crewed by low and midlevel mages. The vessels seldom travel in groups, except on trips to other crystal spheres, in which case they travel in groups of 2-5. The fleet is administered by Filen Eltorchul (Lord Eltorchul's nephew) and service in the fleet is often accepted as payment for magical training by the family. Fleet: 5 Dragonfly ships, 3 Damselfly ships, 2 Shrikeships All Eltorchul ships are equipped with Major Helms Helmfast Fleet- Edwind Helmfast was responsible for the Waterdeep's new leap to the stars, and the Helmfast family has continues to be the leaders in this field. The Helmfast Fleet is the largest merchant fleet based out of Waterdeep, the ships travel the spheres carrying cargos from port to port and searching for items rare or unobtainable on Toril. The ships typically travel in fleets of 3-6 vessels, the trading missions usually last 6 months to a year. Leaving Waterdeep the cargo is lumber and food, bulk items that bring a large profit in Wildspace. The return cargo can be anything, and the ships time their trips so they return in the dead of winter, thus taking advantage of the inevitable boredom a Waterdahvian winter causes. Fleet: 3 Battle Dolphins (with Shuttle and an extra Minor Helm) , 5 Galleons, 7 Hammerships Except for the Dolphin Shuttles, all Helmfast vessels are equipped with a Major helm. Irlingstar Docks- The Irlingstars own no ships of their own, yet they are the most important Nobles for spelljammers after the Helmfast family. The Irlingstars are active in shipbuilding, and they quickly realized the amount of business being lost to builders in Wildspace. To combat this they hired a few skilled shipwrights off the Rock of Bral and purchased the plans to some of the more common spelljammers. They then purchased a couple of farms just outside of the city, and turned them into a series of docks and shipyards. The Irlingstar docks charge the same basic rates as the other fields owned by smaller merchants, but they also can repair spelljammers at the standard rates. For those interested in purchasing a ship the Irlingstars can build Tradesmen, Dragonflys, Mosquitos, Swanships, Wreckboats, and Yachts. Standard water craft, and spelljammers that land on water can be repaired by any of the more conventional shipwrights at the docks (the Irlingstars have repair facilities there as well). Lanngolyn Fleet- The Lanngolyn family has not moved heavily into spelljamming. Their small fleet is run by a contracted adventurer, Trend Sharktooth (CN hm F8-merchant kit), who runs the fleet as he sees fit, simply paying the Lanngolyn family its share of the profits each year. The fleet always sails together, returning to Waterdeep each fall. Fleet: 3 Tradesmen (modified to allow water landings) Moonstar Fleet- The Moonstar family considers the exploration of Wildspace a grand adventure. The small fleet is captained by the younger nieces and nephews of Lord Helve, seldom does a voyage last less than a year. Fleet: 2 Squidships, 1 Shrikeship Wavesilver Fleet- The Wavesilver family doesn't actually possess a fleet, the family's patron is very old fashioned. However, one of the Lord's children, Sasha Wavesilver (CG hef F9/P9{of Selûne}Sasha wields a magical, flaming two-handed sword), owns a spelljammer. Sasha's vessel, the "Windsong", is a standard Galleon equipped with a minor helm. It's crew is somewhat unusual; Sasha has established a temple to Selûne on board, the crew are all 1st-3rd level priestesses of Selûne. The ship is officered by Sasha, her lover Blade (CN hem T8/M8), their friend Maularde (N em F8-Gladiator, a barbaric looking moonelf with long, bright blue hair), and a small, grime covered gnome named Fizzle Flashpoint (NG gm). The officers and crew of the "Windsong" act as agents and diplomats for the Lords of Waterdeep in Wildspace. When acting in an official capacity they fly the Lord's arms, as well as those of Waterdeep and the Wavesilvers. Some DMs may wish to use Sasha, Blade or Maularde as a Lord of Waterdeep. Zun Fleet- The Zun family has long made a practice of sponsoring mercenary companies, now they have expanded into sponsoring a privateering company in Wildspace. The company is led by Telphin Zun (LE hf M9-militant wizard), the youngest daughter of Lord Lungar Zun II. Telphin has a cruel streak a mile wide, her family is happy to see her occupied in Wildspace. Telphin is on very poor terms with the Elven Imperial Navy, Admiral Icarus, the IEN's Realmspace commander has twice warned her against overly zealous actions against elven "pirate" ships. The company members are all well trained (possessing either the Marine or Privateer kit from the Spacefarer's Handbook) and the ships are heavily armed. The helmsmen in the Zun company are all Specialty priests of Tempus (lvls 3-7). Telphin is the companies only mage. Currently the Zun Company is hunting pirates in Selûne's Tears under orders of Marque purchased from the Rock of Bral. Fleet: 2 Scorpion Ships (max crew, standard armamant), 1 Nightwolf (max crew, 2 Bombards, 1 heavy jettison) The Nightwolf acts as the fleets flagship. Many of the other Waterdahvian Noble families own a spelljammer or two (Yachts being the most common), but these are kept as curiosities, Toril-bound shuttles, and party-boats. The Ships of the Guard- The Waterdahvian Guard has recently acquired 8 Major helms. These were mounted in 4 strikers and 4 rakers. The spelljamming capabilities of this ships has been kept very secret. The crews are geased so as not to be able to reveal the ships existence to any outside the Waterdahvian Guard. The ships keep a constant patrol high above Waterdeep, doing their best to prevent unauthorized flyovers and terror attacks from the neogi and others. Two strikers and two rakers are aloft at any one time. The ships rotate every month, and often dip into Toril's atmosphere to clean the air for the excessive crews they carry. Strikers carry a crew of 44 (3 6th level priests Tempus, Tyr, Helm, or Torm, 3 6th level Mages, 6 5th level Fighter officers, 1 9th level Fighter Captain, 1 8th level Mage First Mate, 30 3rd level Fighter crew) and Rakers a crew of 36 (Officers as above, crew 22 3rd level fighters). These crews are all veterans chosen from the Waterdahvian naval ships, they are proud of their elite status. The ships are never seen to land near Waterdeep, instead they land at sea and sail in as a regular vessel. There is much confusion among Waterdeep's enemies as to the size of its fleet because of this tactic. Since taking up their duties the Waterdahvian Fleet has acquired several ships and helms from pirates and neogi, these additional ships of the fleet are varied in crew and type. Cormyr and Spelljamming Like Waterdeep, Cormyr has a strict policy concerning spelljamming craft. Flying of unauthorized spelljammers over any Cormyrean settlement will result in the offending vessel being shot down by hippogriff mounted War Wizards or Purple Dragon crewed Hammerships. 'Jammers must either hug the coastline, or fly well away from towns and villages. Flights above the Lake of Dragons are allowed, but the harassing of Cormyrean Navy or merchant vessels will result in an attack by the aforementioned aerial forces. The only two ports for spelljammers in Cormyr are at Suzail and Marsember. The spelljamming port of Marsember lies adjacent to the Naval Drydock compound. It is surrounded by its own newly built 20' high stone walls. Three towers have been built at strategic points on the wall. In these towers are three medium ballistas with crews of four Purple Dragons. These weapons, as well as blasting spells, are used as defensive measures in the event of 'jammer attack on the city. The dock has room for three vessels, and docking fees are a flat 5 gp, which includes air and drinking water. Also, merchants bringing goods via spelljammer must pay a flat 4% tax on their items. A year ago, a scro mantis was shot down after it tried to leave the dock without paying. A few scro survivors are currently working in the Royal rock quarries. The Suzalian 'jammer dock is built a half mile from the city, mainly for security reasons. There are currently six docks in a clear, unwalled field. Docking fees are 8 gp for water and air, while a wagon to transport goods along the paved road will cost 2gp. The road leading to Suzail was paved with intricately cut granite stones from Tyrluk. The money to do this came from the Crown and several of the noble families. Teamsters, from the Teamsters Guild, can be hired as per PH costs. The use on non-guild labor will generally result in the transported goods to arrived damaged or not arrive at all. These events are usually chalked up to 'human error". The same 4% tax is enforced as well. The docks at Marsember and Suzail are patrolled by customs agents and Purple Dragons. Both the customs agents and Purple Dragons are rotated regularly to combat corruption. Contraband material is usually smokepowder, guns, drugs, poisons, slaves etc. Smuggling of contraband will result in prison terms of 2-4 years. When a ship wants to dock, it is met by War Wizards, Purple Dragons and Customs Agents. Cormyr's Air Cavalry To protect Cormyr from attack from Wildspace and the dangers of the Stonelands and Goblin Marches, Cormyr has formed aerial fighting units: 'jammers and hippogriff cavalry. Cormyr has a small fleet of spelljammers, forming their main aerial force. The fleet consists of: * 4 Hammerships * 2 Cogs * 3 Shrikeships * 2 Dragonflies The Hammerships are equipped with major helms, while the rest use minor helms. One Hammership is stationed at Marsember and one at Suzail. Their primary purpose is the defense of the city from attack. The two cogs are based at Marsember and routinely patrol the Lake of Dragons, rarely using their spelljamming abilities unless necessary. The Shrikeships and Dragonflies rotate between High Horn and Castle Crag, running patrols over the Stonelands and Goblin Marches. In addition, Cormyr has two minor and one major helm in reserve, captured from raiding ships. The major helm was recovered when Cormyrean forces downed a neogi Deathspider near Hultail. Under covering fire from the Hammerships, four Shrikeships, filled with Purple Dragons, mages and priests, boarded the Deathspider. During the fighting, an explosion on board the neogi craft destroyed the entire ship, crew, Cormyrean soldiers, mages and one of the Shrikeships. Recently, a elven Flitter was salvaged near Waymoot after it was damaged by scro. The Flitter was recovered and the injured elven pilot healed of his wounds. The elf, a Lieutenant Cavarien Starbow(CG em F5/W7) of the IEN, has been appointed as an advisor to King Azoun concerning spelljamming matters. The other Hammerships patrol Cormyrean airspace and occasionally make contact with Waterdhavian 'jammers. Although relations have been strained between Waterdeep and Cormyr since the Tuigan War, they do sometimes coordinate with each other to fend off neogi, Tenth Pit, and scro. A few of the noble families have purchased spelljammers. To own a 'jammer, it requires a license costing 2,000 gp. This allows ownership of three vessels; any additional ships will cost 500gp. Licenses can be obtained from local lords or their heralds. They take down the name, class, owner and power source for the license. Airborne patrols, armed with this info are able to determine which vessel is Cormyrean and which is not. Some notable families with spelljamming craft are: The Crownsilvers The Crownsilver fleet is operated by Hrathar Crownsilver(NG hm F5), a young man with dashing good looks who is considered by many an up-and-comer in Court. He is assisted by several cousins who are competent mages. It seems that in recent years members of the Crownsilver family have shown a great aptitude for wizardly arts, which is strange since it has never had more than a few members in the War Wizards. The Crownsilvers are currently engaged in trading with several Wildspace nations. The fleet consists of: * 1 Tradesman * 2 Cogs * 1 Dragonfly * 2 Squidships All are equiped with major helms. The Hawklins The Hawklins are renowned for their military service to the Crown. They are at the forefront of Cormyr's military expansion into Realmspace. Their main objective is to keep the shipping lanes of Realmspace free of pirates, scro and neogi. Erltos Hawklin(LG hm F10) commands the family's small, but efficient fleet. The fleet consists of: * 2 Hammerships * 1 Battledolphin * 2 Galleons The Battledolphin and Galleons are equipped with major helms. Also, the Hawklins have hired two dozen giff mercs to serve on the Hammerships. The Scatterhawks The Skatterhawks have turned to the exploration of Realmspace, specifically the Tears of Selûne. Headed by Aleria Scatterhawk(LN hf P9), they have mapped many of the asteroid fields and several of the communities including the dwarven Citadel and Dragon Rock. The fleet consists of: * 2 Shrikeships * 3 Wasps * 1 Mosquito The Dauntinghorns The Dautinghorns are primarily interested in trade. Relinia Dautinhorn (CG hef W12/P10) directs the aggressive trade negotiations with several nations of Wildspace and merchant companies on Bral. The Dauntinghorns have established a compound in the Merchant's Quarter on Bral. They are also starting up the building of several types of spelljammers in Suzail. The full operation will be up and running within the year. The fleet consists of: * 4 Tradesman * 2 Dolphin-Shuttles * 2 Squid Ships The Cormaerils have had their Whaleship and 2 Hammerships confiscated by the crown after recent events (see Cormyr: A Novel). Selûne ; Type: Spherical earth body ; Size: D ; Day Length: 30 days ; Year Length: 30 days ; Distance/Time To: : Toril: 183,000 miles; 7 turns travel Tears of Selûne: 183,000 miles; 5 turns travel Tears of Selûne ; Type: Asteroid cluster ; Size: A ; Day Length: various ; Year Length: 30 days ; Distance/Time To: : Toril: 183,000 miles; 7 turns travel Selûne: 100,000 - 183,000 miles; 4-5 turns travel Major Asteroids Abandoned Castle — The Cave — The Citadel — Dragon Rock — Eye of the Sky — Journey's Legg — Stardock Cities * Neverwinter * Waterdeep * The Dock * Evermeet